'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III. PART II: L to Z' [‎315r] (634/988)

SHI—SHI
934-
Two squadrons of the 39th (King; George's Own) Central India Horse,
under Lieutenant-Colonel J. A. Douglas, arrived at Bushire on October
27th and reached Shiraz without further incident on November 12th. The
third and fourth squadrons disembarked at Bushire on November 11th
and one full squadron proceeded on to Shiraz.
On • November 18th the squadron for Isfahan left for that place ac
companied by an additional 100 men as far as Abadeh for the escort to
Miss Ross.
Both parties arrived at their respective destinations on December 5th.
While Miss Ross's escort met with no incidents on their return journey, the
Isfahan squadron fell in with a party of robbers beyond Yazdikhast with
the result that Risaldar-Major Ghulam Muhammad was severely wounded
in the leg, two of the robbers being also wounded.
A party of 30 men of the 79ht Carnatic Infantry, who left Shiraz on Nov
ember 28th for Bushire, arrived without mishap at their destination, but
a caravan a short distance ahead of them was attacked and looted between
Khan-i-Zinian and Dashtarjan.
On December 19th a third and last detachment of 50 men of the Central
India Horse left Bushire for Shiraz with Mr. Smart, who was rejoining his
post as Consul at Shiraz from leave.
A similar party left Shiraz at the same time under Major Birdwood to
join hands at Kazarun.
This party was fired on from the Kutal-i-Dukhtar pass and one sowar In the East India Company army and later Indian Army, an ordinary native cavalryman or mounted cavalryman.
killed. This outrage was organised by Muhammad 'Ali Khan of the
Kashkuli section of Qashqais and Deputy Governor of Kazarun.
Colonel Douglas at once despatched a second party of 50 men to hold the
top of the pass for the return journey.
On December 26th Major Bird wood's party left Kazarun to effect a juno
tion with the party under Lieutenant Fraser from Bushire.
The junction was effected without mishap, but, on returning to Kazarun
together, the party was treacherously fired on from a caravansarai. This
was a signal for a general attack by about 800 tribesmen, mostly inhabitants
of the villages in the Kazarun plain. Two followers were killed and seven
sowars wounded, while a hospital assistant and one follower were missing.
Mr. Smart, who was riding some way behind, was slightly wounded, and,
falling from his horse, was captured and taken into Muhammad 'Ali Khan's
camp. He was well treated and sent in on December 9th. The squadron
fought their way into Kazarun, where they were no further molested.
The force left Kazarun on January' 2nd, joining up with Colonel Douglas,
who had moved out to the Kutal-i-Dukhtar to meet them, and reached
Shiraz without further mishap on January 5th.
This outbreak may be largely attributed to the cupidity of the nomad
chiefs, who feared that the restoration of order along the roads by our
troops would involve the loss of blackmail, which the various Khans along
the road had come to regard as a permanent source of income.
It was, however, unfortunate that the Consulate in Shiraz, by being
compelled to give (( bast " to the Qawam, had become in the eyes of the
Qashqai tribesmen pledged to his support*. There was consequently a
widespread belief that the ulterior object of the arrival of British troops
Pt. II 3 T.